Wonderful food and service. We were seated in the overflow area next door and it was a little cold with the vent blowing right over our high top table. Definitely prefer dining in Cowa-Sake.
Runa
I went there with my boyfriend fır his birthday, I added a request on the reservation and they have done it in a beautiful manner. We got the bento box, Mongolian beef, and Sapporo beer. My boyfriend liked the beer a lot, he appreciated that it was kept cold. Mongolian beef was delicious, we loved the sauce! In the bento box, we got sweet fries which were very soggy. When we explained our situation to the server she put new ones in for us, which was very kind. We were very happy with the attention and hospitality. The food did take quite a while, but we were not in a rush, so did not bother us. Also, inside it is pretty loud, if you do not like loud places, you might want to sit outside.
koldslaugh
The night started out fantastic. I was excited to get sushi for dinner, and more excited to try out a new restaurant. Looked at the menu beforehand, and definitely not traditional, but the menu looked good.
When we arrived there only 4 tables seated and 3 people at the bar. So I thought SCORE, no one goes out to eat on a Monday.
We were greeted politely, and got seated quickly. Then the waiter came…..
I asked a few questions about the appetizers, and seemed like a kid that didn’t study for the exam. I asked if the steam buns were good. He said yes, that we had a few options about what was in them and they were squishy. He tried to explain the sauce but stopped and trailed off after “something tangy”.
We ordered the pork belly stem buns, and when they came out I was a little surprised that they were steam tacos not buns. But the dough seemed close and the pork belly was cooked well. Not a lot of flavor other than pork, the sauce was a very sweet Asian bbq sauce, and it was refrigerator cold.
When the waiter came back to take our entree order, we asked what the special was. I was met with a blank stare. He did know that the noodle special was a chicken lo mein. But the other specials he had no idea. He ran off to get the answer. When he came back he couldn’t remember what they were, but he gave a valiant effort to remember. He finally gave up and just stared at us.
I ordered the bang bang roll with salmon nigiri and my husband got the bento. He was told that the burger had fried onions, cheese, and bbq sauce.
The waiter came to refill the drinks, and poured soda on the table.
The entrees came out and mine was plated beautifully. It really was a very appetizing plate.
My husband’s had a completely different burger on it. He said that the special burger was actually a blue cheese burger…my husband hates blue cheese. The waiter quickly got a new basic burger made.
I dug into the nigiri, and it was delightful. The salmon was a little thin, but the quality was fantastic. After that I was excited roll. It was described as a California roll topped with fried shrimp covered in bang bang sauce. I was a little surprised that they had fried the shrimp whole and cut it into cubes.
I grab a small piece of shrimp and it’s cold. When the waiter comes back I ask if that’s intentional, and he says it should be hot. He asks the kitchen to remake it.
A few moments later the new burger comes out. It was technically a slider. A round bun with a triangle shaped hockey puck. The condiments, none. The cheese, a postage stamp size of cheddar. Was it juicy? NO. Did it taste good, No.
Along with the triangle of disappointment, the bento box had overcooked salted edamame, two stuck together clumps of fries (obviously from frozen fries), and the saddest spicy tuna roll I have ever seen. This roll was 2/3 cucumber and the smallest slice of tuna physically possible in a roll covered in spicy mayo.
Keep in mind this entree cost $26.
While my husband was eating my remade roll arrived. The waiter said he was sorry. The kitchen told him that they prep the shrimp ahead of time, and don’t fry to order.
I try the shrimp again, cold. The California roll had no avocado, and the cream cheese, kani, cucumber, and mosago was mixed into this weird slaw texture. The rice was so thin around the roll that it wouldn’t hold together.
I had two bites and set it aside.
So to recap, we have had better sushi from Publix, a better burger from White Castle, and better sides from Burger King.
This was not worth the money, and I will not be going back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Trey Avery
Go for the Sushi....nuff said
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aaron
When they first opened it was terrific, hands down one of the best choices in Hickory. The last three or four times I've gone there the food has gotten less and less. My wife and I went this past Thursday, and it was just not a good experience.
Shania Johnson
Showed up on a Wednesday, there was barely anyone there. Did an online order. My order said it was ready at 6:18. Didn’t get my order until 6:40. Host acted like she had no idea what I was talking about when I said I had an online order
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Robert
Although the lunch menu is limited, it was a wonderful meal. Will go back again and try dinner.
Daniel Presnell
Amazing sushi experience. Not only were the sushi chef's artists, they were kind and the food was delicious. It is pricey, but for once, worth it. Will definitely visit again hopefully soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Haley Ward
We are semi regulars, not from Hickory but live an hour away and often choose to eat here, we were looking forward to a much needed girls lunch after a rough few months. We got there and immediately was told by the young man hostess that he'd be right with us. After 15 minutes he finally came back and stated how can he help us, how many etc it was 2 of us. Then he said it would be about 30 minutes before we could be seated. We said that was fine but upset we had already been waiting for so long. Another couple already waiting before us said they had been there a while waiting too. We assumed it was staff issues since there was maybe 5 tables occupied. We waited outside maybe 25-30 minutes and was finally seated but not before the hostess asked us what time it was and we told him. And the he asked if we wanted lunch or breakfast. It was already 1:15 by this time and we knew they closed at 2. We said umm lunch then he was confused and said ok good cause we're out....we were like uh okay.... The he said do you still want a table again, we said yes. We actually didn't know they offered breakfast. He acted like he was on something or was trying to get us to leave. It was strange and the other couple agreed. Our waitress was polite but never got refills and it was another 15 minutes after being seated that we were able to order. We would have got apps, drinks etc but was never given the chance. Food was good (both got bento box) but Mongolian beef was so tough it wasn't edible. For the money we pay eating here (my food alone was $30 and basic small portion.) you should expect better service. We were both filming for tiktok that day and combined would have had 40,000+ viewers on both our channels but after the wierd hostess and bad service we didn't want recommend this place to anyone. Despite the good food. We only showed a brief clip of the food and my friend actual told her viewers that food was good but service was awful. It was like everyone wanted us to not be there. I may think again before spending money there again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Rob
The food and dining experience is fantastic. Definitely one of if not the best places in Hickory, NC.
My husband and I joined some friends for lunch today. They hadn’t ever eaten here before so they were excited to give it a try and went on the website to get an idea of what might interest them before arriving. Two of the items they were looking forward to ordering were no longer on the menu. We were ready to order only to be told that it was just our server and one other for the entire restaurant. It was a steady flow of patrons so there wasn’t any promptness in bringing our refills. My friend wanted to order the mandarin salad only to be told that they were out of salad mix! That should have been mentioned from the get go. I had ordered the Power Bowl from my previous visit and was told that the menu had changed. I had to decide how I would cross order from the poke bowl and bento box as the power bowl offered items from the two new selections. My husband ordered the chicken avocado sandwich only to have no avocado, cheese, and bacon as requested. Again, because our server was only one of two servers it took a while for him to get it corrected. By that time, his sandwich was cold.
I would suggest that the online menu be updated and that the server should inform patrons if any items are unavailable before ordering.
For lunch totaling $42 Plus tip, the chances of us returning are very slim to none.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
Julie
Love the Shogun roll! Asked for extra ginger and my server was way ahead of me. Great restaurant. Don't hesitate!
Abdulrazack Oketona
Great Food 👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nicole Walden
Would not go back if it was free. My chicken was overcooked and rubbery. The food/service was extremely slow.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Devin Webb
Mediocre sushi. Especially for the price, this should be a lot better. Also, if you have dietary restrictions, they're clueless. I don't think the food they served me was good for any price point, much less on the expensive side.
Wonderful food and service. We were seated in the overflow area next door and it was a little cold with the vent blowing right over our high top table. Definitely prefer dining in Cowa-Sake.
I went there with my boyfriend fır his birthday, I added a request on the reservation and they have done it in a beautiful manner. We got the bento box, Mongolian beef, and Sapporo beer. My boyfriend liked the beer a lot, he appreciated that it was kept cold. Mongolian beef was delicious, we loved the sauce! In the bento box, we got sweet fries which were very soggy. When we explained our situation to the server she put new ones in for us, which was very kind. We were very happy with the attention and hospitality. The food did take quite a while, but we were not in a rush, so did not bother us. Also, inside it is pretty loud, if you do not like loud places, you might want to sit outside.
The night started out fantastic. I was excited to get sushi for dinner, and more excited to try out a new restaurant. Looked at the menu beforehand, and definitely not traditional, but the menu looked good.
When we arrived there only 4 tables seated and 3 people at the bar. So I thought SCORE, no one goes out to eat on a Monday.
We were greeted politely, and got seated quickly. Then the waiter came…..
I asked a few questions about the appetizers, and seemed like a kid that didn’t study for the exam. I asked if the steam buns were good. He said yes, that we had a few options about what was in them and they were squishy. He tried to explain the sauce but stopped and trailed off after “something tangy”.
We ordered the pork belly stem buns, and when they came out I was a little surprised that they were steam tacos not buns. But the dough seemed close and the pork belly was cooked well. Not a lot of flavor other than pork, the sauce was a very sweet Asian bbq sauce, and it was refrigerator cold.
When the waiter came back to take our entree order, we asked what the special was. I was met with a blank stare. He did know that the noodle special was a chicken lo mein. But the other specials he had no idea. He ran off to get the answer. When he came back he couldn’t remember what they were, but he gave a valiant effort to remember. He finally gave up and just stared at us.
I ordered the bang bang roll with salmon nigiri and my husband got the bento. He was told that the burger had fried onions, cheese, and bbq sauce.
The waiter came to refill the drinks, and poured soda on the table.
The entrees came out and mine was plated beautifully. It really was a very appetizing plate.
My husband’s had a completely different burger on it. He said that the special burger was actually a blue cheese burger…my husband hates blue cheese. The waiter quickly got a new basic burger made.
I dug into the nigiri, and it was delightful. The salmon was a little thin, but the quality was fantastic. After that I was excited roll. It was described as a California roll topped with fried shrimp covered in bang bang sauce. I was a little surprised that they had fried the shrimp whole and cut it into cubes.
I grab a small piece of shrimp and it’s cold. When the waiter comes back I ask if that’s intentional, and he says it should be hot. He asks the kitchen to remake it.
A few moments later the new burger comes out. It was technically a slider. A round bun with a triangle shaped hockey puck. The condiments, none. The cheese, a postage stamp size of cheddar. Was it juicy? NO. Did it taste good, No.
Along with the triangle of disappointment, the bento box had overcooked salted edamame, two stuck together clumps of fries (obviously from frozen fries), and the saddest spicy tuna roll I have ever seen. This roll was 2/3 cucumber and the smallest slice of tuna physically possible in a roll covered in spicy mayo.
Keep in mind this entree cost $26.
While my husband was eating my remade roll arrived. The waiter said he was sorry. The kitchen told him that they prep the shrimp ahead of time, and don’t fry to order.
I try the shrimp again, cold. The California roll had no avocado, and the cream cheese, kani, cucumber, and mosago was mixed into this weird slaw texture. The rice was so thin around the roll that it wouldn’t hold together.
I had two bites and set it aside.
So to recap, we have had better sushi from Publix, a better burger from White Castle, and better sides from Burger King.
This was not worth the money, and I will not be going back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Go for the Sushi....nuff said
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
When they first opened it was terrific, hands down one of the best choices in Hickory. The last three or four times I've gone there the food has gotten less and less. My wife and I went this past Thursday, and it was just not a good experience.
Showed up on a Wednesday, there was barely anyone there. Did an online order. My order said it was ready at 6:18. Didn’t get my order until 6:40. Host acted like she had no idea what I was talking about when I said I had an online order
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Although the lunch menu is limited, it was a wonderful meal. Will go back again and try dinner.
Amazing sushi experience. Not only were the sushi chef's artists, they were kind and the food was delicious. It is pricey, but for once, worth it. Will definitely visit again hopefully soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We are semi regulars, not from Hickory but live an hour away and often choose to eat here, we were looking forward to a much needed girls lunch after a rough few months. We got there and immediately was told by the young man hostess that he'd be right with us. After 15 minutes he finally came back and stated how can he help us, how many etc it was 2 of us. Then he said it would be about 30 minutes before we could be seated. We said that was fine but upset we had already been waiting for so long. Another couple already waiting before us said they had been there a while waiting too. We assumed it was staff issues since there was maybe 5 tables occupied. We waited outside maybe 25-30 minutes and was finally seated but not before the hostess asked us what time it was and we told him. And the he asked if we wanted lunch or breakfast. It was already 1:15 by this time and we knew they closed at 2. We said umm lunch then he was confused and said ok good cause we're out....we were like uh okay.... The he said do you still want a table again, we said yes. We actually didn't know they offered breakfast. He acted like he was on something or was trying to get us to leave. It was strange and the other couple agreed. Our waitress was polite but never got refills and it was another 15 minutes after being seated that we were able to order. We would have got apps, drinks etc but was never given the chance. Food was good (both got bento box) but Mongolian beef was so tough it wasn't edible. For the money we pay eating here (my food alone was $30 and basic small portion.) you should expect better service. We were both filming for tiktok that day and combined would have had 40,000+ viewers on both our channels but after the wierd hostess and bad service we didn't want recommend this place to anyone. Despite the good food. We only showed a brief clip of the food and my friend actual told her viewers that food was good but service was awful. It was like everyone wanted us to not be there. I may think again before spending money there again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
The food and dining experience is fantastic. Definitely one of if not the best places in Hickory, NC.
Restaurantji Recommends
My husband and I joined some friends for lunch today. They hadn’t ever eaten here before so they were excited to give it a try and went on the website to get an idea of what might interest them before arriving. Two of the items they were looking forward to ordering were no longer on the menu. We were ready to order only to be told that it was just our server and one other for the entire restaurant. It was a steady flow of patrons so there wasn’t any promptness in bringing our refills. My friend wanted to order the mandarin salad only to be told that they were out of salad mix! That should have been mentioned from the get go. I had ordered the Power Bowl from my previous visit and was told that the menu had changed. I had to decide how I would cross order from the poke bowl and bento box as the power bowl offered items from the two new selections. My husband ordered the chicken avocado sandwich only to have no avocado, cheese, and bacon as requested. Again, because our server was only one of two servers it took a while for him to get it corrected. By that time, his sandwich was cold.
I would suggest that the online menu be updated and that the server should inform patrons if any items are unavailable before ordering.
For lunch totaling $42 Plus tip, the chances of us returning are very slim to none.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
Love the Shogun roll! Asked for extra ginger and my server was way ahead of me. Great restaurant. Don't hesitate!
Great Food 👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Would not go back if it was free. My chicken was overcooked and rubbery. The food/service was extremely slow.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Mediocre sushi. Especially for the price, this should be a lot better. Also, if you have dietary restrictions, they're clueless. I don't think the food they served me was good for any price point, much less on the expensive side.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
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